Field of the Invention
[0001] The present invention relates to signal transmitting means, in particular to self-contained
apparatuses for transmitting digital signals and remote control (RC) systems on their
basis.
[0002] The invention may be used to create self-contained maintenance-free signal transmitters,
beakons, signaling and transmitting devices in safety systems, wireless sensors in
industrial automation systems, and remote control systems of consumer and industrial
equipment.
Description of the Prior Art
[0003] A known self-contained coded radio-frequency signal transmitter for safety systems
comprises a piezoelectric cell for generating electric charges under the application
of mechanical stress thereto, a unit for generating and transmitting radio-frequency
signals on air and a circuit for supplying power to said unit from the piezoelectric
cell (see US patent 5,572,190, published 05.11.96).
[0004] A deficiency of the known transmitter is that a relatively small electric charge
generated by the piezoelectric cell when exposed to mechanical stress flows virtually
unchanged to a low-frequency filter capacity which serves as a peculiar kind of buffer
charge storage to supply the following unit for generating and transmitting coded
radio-frequency signals. Low voltage (5-12V) at output of the low-frequency filter,
suitable to supply said signal transmission unit, is generated owing to a significant
voltage drop across active component of the filter, this in turn reducing the output
power of the circuit. A threshold element and a silicon rectifier in this circuit
affect only the shape and polarity of the current pulse from the piezoelectric cell
without increasing the total charge in initial current pulse. Non-ideal nature of
the silicon rectifier used in the circuit, specifically, a low diode breakdown voltage
(several thousand volts) and electrical leaks from back-biased diodes, reduces a permissible
operating voltage magnitude at its input and restricts thereby the possibility of
obtaining sufficiently great current pulses in the circuit. As the result, the charge
stored in the low-frequency filter capacity will be relatively small, this reducing
efficiency of the electric supply circuit of the known radio-frequency signal transmitter
as a whole.
[0005] Also known in the art are various RC devices and systems for electric apparatuses,
including a lighting fixture RC system (see US patent 3,971,028, published 20.07.76),
a suspended fan RC system (see US patent 4,371,814, published 01.02.83), TV and audio
receiver RC system (see US patent 3,928,760, published 23.12.75), a transmitter for
a car lock RC system (see US patent 5,592,169, published 07.01.97).
[0006] In particular, the car lock RC system disclosed in US patent 5,592,169, comprises
a self-contained coded RC signal transmitter, a receiver and a lock control unit.
The receiver in the RC system receives energy from the same electric circuit as the
load controlled thereby, the lock, and the self-contained RC signal transmitter is
provided with an independent electric power supply, a battery or rechargeable battery.
[0007] The necessity of periodic expenditures for buying batteries, recharging rechargeable
batteries and providing timely service to the self-contained transmitter, along with
economic and environmental problems involved in utilization of spent batteries, are
basic disadvantages of such RC systems that restrict their wide use.
[0008] Attempts have been taken to design control systems wherein a transmitter is supplied
from piezoelectric cells, e.g. an electronic toy control unit (see US patent 4,612,472,
published 16.09.86). In the device, however, the transmitted signal has no digital
coding of information which is required to control different functions of an actuator
of a controlled object, and the charge from the piezoelectric cell is directly used
by the transmitting apparatus without any preliminary processing, i.e. very inefficiently.
[0009] DE 4034100 teaches an apparatus for storing energy of natural lightning. The apparatus
uses a reducing transformer connected, via a bridge rectifier, to a accumulation capacitor.
However, the application of such design of the secondary transformer coil and the
bridge rectifier is not quite efficient because, when charging the accumulation capacitor,
the current pulse energy of the secondary coil is lost at two series-connected forward-biased
diodes.
[0010] Furthermore, the use of natural lightning as the charge generator for compact remote
control transmitters is infeasible.
[0011] Numerous documents teach various embodiments of charge generators, information generation
and transmission units, and information transmission channels (see US patents: 5,012,223,
5,563,600, 1,003,129, GB patents: 2164219, 2177527, and EPO 513443). The aforementioned
documents, however, are lacking information of the possibility to use the features
disclosed in them, either individually or in combination, for providing battery-free
self-contained remote control signal transmitters, and information of ways of designing
and technical embodiments of battery-free self-contained remote control signal transmitters
and remote control systems on their basis.
[0012] The inventors are unaware of employment of piezoelectric cells or other charge generators
to provide RC systems for consumer or industrial apparatuses.
Summary of the Invention
[0013] The object of the present invention is to provide a self-contained digital signal
transmitter which would not need periodic replacement or recharging of electric power
supply, and would have an efficient circuit supplied from a charge generator, which
in turn would enable the creation of RC systems for electric apparatuses, data acquisition
systems and warning systems, with the possibility of long-term integration of RC signal
transmitters, like traditional wall-board switches, in unmanned structures and constructions,.
[0014] The above object is attained in a self-contained digital signal transmitter comprising:
an electric power supply including an electric charge generator with an actuation
means, and a digital signal generation and transmission unit; the signal transmitter
further comprising an electric charge energy converter having an input connected to
an output of the charge generator, and an output connected to an input of the digital
signal generation and transmission unit; the electric charge energy converter being
adapted to increase initial number of electric charges provided from the generator,
and reduce potential of electric charges stored at the output of the converter.
[0015] The output of the converter may further include an electric charge storage in the
form of, for example, a capacitor, for buffering the electric power from the digital
signal generation and transmission unit.
[0016] In an embodiment of the self-contained transmitter, the electric charge energy converter
is a reducing transformer, a primary coil of which is connected to an output of the
electric charge generator, and a secondary coil comprises two coils and is connected,
via a full-wave rectifier, to the electric charge storage, which is more efficient
than the design of the converter taught in DE 4034100. The converter is efficient
when the charge generator produces short high-energy current pulses.
[0017] In another embodiment of the self-contained transmitter, the electric charge energy
converter is a semiconductor converter having an input region coupled to an output
of the electric charge generator, formed by a back-biased p-n-junction and intended
for storing charges from the electric charge generator and producing an avalanche
breakdown process when a threshold voltage is exceeded across said p-n-junction, and
an output region of the semiconductor converter, formed by a region for separating
and storing secondary charges produced as the result of the avalanche breakdown, and
connected, via a rectifier, to the electric charge storage. The input region of the
semiconductor converter may be formed by other structures different from said p-n-junction,
for example, by a transistor or thyristor structure which would provide a more pronounced
electric charge avalanche multiplication process.
[0018] The self-contained transmitter may further comprise an electric charge energy converter
formed by a battery of capacitors and provided with a switching device to switch the
capacitors from series connection required to store charges from the charge generator,
to parallel connection enabling the reduction in the charge potential at the converter
output, and the use, in full measure, of the total charge stored in each capacitor
separately. In this embodiment electric charge energy generated by the charge generator
is used most efficiently.
[0019] The electric charge generator may be a piezoelectric cell, a triboelectric cell.
It is also advantageous to use such an electric charge generator with high electric
potential and practically unexhaustable capacity, as e.g. a radioactive source of
charged particles which may be in the form of a capacitor, one plate of which comprises
a radioactive material emitting charged β-particles, and another plate is a collector
of the charged β-particles.
[0020] The latter two electric charge generators generate charges relatively slow, so the
series of the described above converters may be advantageously supplemented with a
short pulse former connected between the output of the electric charge generator and
an input of the electric charge energy converter, said short pulse former being in
the form of a gas-discharge tube, or a semiconductor threshold element, for example,
a thyristor.
[0021] The digital signal generation and transmission unit in a self-contained transmitter
in accordance with the invention may be adapted to transmit a radio-frequency signal,
an optical signal, and an acoustic signal. In a number of systems for transmitting
digital codes over great distances, the optical embodiment of the self-contained transmitter
is rather efficient with the use of a laser signal emitter.
[0022] The present invention permits designing self-supporting beakons in which the electric
charge generator may be a radioactive source of charged particles, so that such apparatuses
may be operated, substantially service-free, in space and in marine navigation systems.
[0023] In part of a remote control system the above technical result is attained also due
to the fact that in the RC system comprising an RC signal transmitter and a control
unit for controlling at least one electric apparatus including a signal receiver connected
with said transmitter through a communication channel, in accordance with the invention,
the RC signal transmitter is a self-contained digital signal transmitter according
to any one of the above-described embodiments.
[0024] The communication channel in the RC system may be provided by galvanic wire coupling,
wire communication with various types of galvanic isolation, or a radio-frequency
channel, an optical channel or an acoustic channel.
[0025] In the RC system, the controlled electric apparatuses may include lighting fixtures,
apparatuses with an electrical actuator, home electronics apparatuses, predominantly
heaters, refrigerators and air conditioners, warning and alarm apparatuses, and in
particular a computer for processing and storing information received from self-contained
digital signal transmitters.
[0026] An important feature of such RC system is that the RC signal transmitter may be adapted
to be integrated in walls of constructions and other unmanned engineering structures,
because such charge generators as, for example, piezoelectric cells, triboelectric
cells, radioactive sources of charged particle do not require service such as periodic
replacement or recharging of electrolytic cells.
[0027] The principle possibility of attaining the aforementioned result may be explained
on the premise that the energy conservation law is observed for the conversion corresponding
to the invention, which looks, in ideal form, as
q*Uin=Q*Uout, where
q and
Uin are, respectively, the charge and its potential at input of the converter, and
Q and
Uout are, respectively, the charge and its potential at output of the converter. On the
basis of this condition it may be assessed that to increase (multiply) the number
of charges at the converter output, i.e. for condition
Q>q, it is required that the potential
Uin at the converter input would exceed the potential
Uout at its output. Condition
Uin>Uout can be rather easily realized technically since the potential of charges produced
by a charge generator, such as a piezoelectric cell or a triboelectric cell, is inversely
related to the self-capacity or load capacity, and may reach several thousand volts,
whereas the potential needed to supply circuitry of the transmitter is only a few
volts. Efficiency of the charge number multiplication process will be defined by efficiency
of the converter in the process of transporting the initial charge electric energy
from the converter input to its output.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0028] The invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred
embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig.1 shows a schematic view of a self-contained digital signal transmitter in accordance
with the invention;
Fig.2à shows schematic view of a converter based on a reducing transformer;
Fig.2b shows a schematic view of a converter based on a reducing transformer with
a threshold element at input;
Fig.3 shows a schematic view of a converter based on a semiconductor structure;
Fig.4 shows a schematic view of a converter based on a battery of capacitors;
Fig.5 shows a schematic view of a remote control system for electric apparatuses.
Description of Preferred Embodiments
[0029] Referring to Fig.1, a transmitter comprises a charge generator 1 having an output
connected to an input of a charge converter 2, an output of the converter 2 being
connected to an input of a digital signal generation and transmission unit 3.
[0030] As shown in Fig.2à, the charge converter includes a transformer 4 having a primary
coil 5 acting as an input of the converter, and a secondary coil 6 which is connected,
via a rectifier 7, to an accumulation capacitor 8 acting as an output unit of the
converter.
[0031] Fig.2b shows a charge converter configured in accordance with a circuit shown in
Fig.2à and supplemented with a threshold element 9.
[0032] The converter shown in Fig.3 is made by a semiconductor structure having n-type substrate
10 with p-type epitaxial layer 11. A rectifying contact 12 in the form of an p-n-junction,
and an ohmic contact 13 are formed in the epitaxial layer 11 are. The contacts 12
and 13 form an input of the converter. The output accumulation capacitor 8 of the
converter is connected by one output to the substrate 10 and by another output, via
a rectifier 14, to the rectifying contact 12.
[0033] Fig.4 shows a charge converter comprising a set of n identical capacitors 15, which
may be transformed, using a switching unit 16, into an assembly with series connection
of the capacitors when all of the switches are put in position I, or an assembly with
parallel connection of the capacitors when all of the switches are put in position
II.
[0034] A schematic diagram of an electrical apparatus RC system, shown in Fig.5, comprises
a charge generator 1 having an output connected to an input of a converter 2. An output
of the converter 2 is connected to an input of an electric power supply of a digital
code generator 17. The generator 17 is controlled by a code selection unit 18 coupled
to a respective input of the generator 17. An output of the generator 17 is connected
to an input of an RC signal transmission unit 19. The components 1, 2, 17, 18 and
19 form a transmitter of the RC system. An RC signal receiver 20 is coupled by an
output to an input of a processing and controlling apparatus 21 which, in turn, is
connected by its outputs to inputs of controlled electrical apparatuses 22.
[0035] A transmitter, a schematic diagram of which is shown in Fig.1, operates in the following
manner.
[0036] Having been activated, the charge generator 1 generates a batch of electric charges
q with high electric potential
Uin, which are provided to an input of the converter 2. The converter function is to
increase the initial magnitude of charges
q to magnitude
Q and store them at the converter output with potential
Unot having a smaller value than
Uin. To operate, the digital signal generation and transmission unit 3 is supplied with
electric power from the charge
Q produced after the conversion and provided to the input of the unit 3.
[0037] The converters shown in Fig.2à and Fig.2b operate in pulse mode. If activation of
the charge generator 1 results in generation of a high-energy current pulse, then
on providing the current pulse to the primary coil 5 of the transformer 4 an electromotive
force (EMF) pulse is induced in the secondary coil 6 of the transformer 4 owing to
electromagnetic transformation of the pulse energy. As the number of turns in the
secondary coil 6 is smaller than that in the primary coil 5, the EMF amplitude in
the secondary coil 6 will be smaller than the input voltage amplitude, and the current
amplitude in the secondary coil will exceed that in the primary coil 5. Thus, the
total charge
Q in the secondary pulse will be greater than the charge
q contained in the primary pulse emerging from the charge generator. On rectifying
the secondary current pulse in the full-wave rectifier 7, its charge
Q accumulates in the accumulation capacitor
8.
[0038] If activation of the charge generator 1 cannot provide a short high-energy current
pulse, it is necessary to use a threshold element 9 connected in series to one of
outputs of the charge generator 1 and one of outputs of the primary coil 5 of the
pulse transformer 4 (Fig.2b). In the circuit shown in Fig.2b, a current pulse is generated
in the primary coil of the transformer as the result of switching (breakdown) of the
threshold element 9 when the voltage thereon exceeds a predetermined value.
[0039] The threshold element in the circuit may be a tube with a gas-discharge gap or a
semiconductor structure, such as a thyristor.
[0040] The embodiment shown in Fig.2b will be rather efficient with the charge generator
1 in the form of a triboelectric cell or a radioactive source of charged particles.
In such generators, electric charge and respective potential at the generator output
accumulate fairly slow.
[0041] In the embodiment shown in Fig.3, a rectifying contact 12 comprises a back-biased
p-n-junction, in the capacity of which charge q produced by the charge generator 1
accumulates. When the voltage across the p-n-junction exceeds a threshold voltage
magnitude, its electric breakdown occurs accompanied by production of electron-hole
pair avalanche. A part of non-equilibrium charge carriers will flow to the ohmic contact
13. However, by providing a sufficiently great resistance of the epitaxial layer 11,
the electrical leak through the contact 13 may be made smaller than the electron injection
current from the highly doped n-region of the substrate 10 in the vicinity of the
contact 12, appearing owing to spatial redistribution of electric potentials in the
structure after breakdown of the p-n-junction of the rectifying contact 12. The injection
current of the substrate compensates for the current of non-equilibrium holes drifting
from the contact 12 in the direction of the substrate 10, and will charge, via the
rectifier 14, the accumulation capacitor 8 to charge
Q. Owing to the fact that the number of non-equilibrium charges produced by the avalanche
breakdown is many times greater than the charge
q preliminary produced by the charge generator 1, such a semiconductor converter will
operate as a multiplier of charge
q. As already mentioned, the region of the p-n-junction of the contact 12 may be formed
by another semiconductor structure, for example, a transistor or thyristor. A basic
requirement to the structure is that its input capacity should be fairly small to
enable storing the charge from the charge generator with a high potential, and after
exceeding a threshold voltage, forming a structure breakdown current pulse with provision
of the charge carrier avalanche multiplication process.
[0042] A converter, shown in Fig.4, based on switching a set of elementary low-voltage capacitors
15 with capacity C implements a simple method of converting a magnitude of primary
charge
q generated by the charge generator 1.
[0043] With series connection of the capacitors 15 (all switches 16 set in position I),
the total input capacity of the converter is small and defined as
Cin=C/n, where
C is the capacity of each capacitor 15, and
n is the number of capacitors 15 in the converter. If the charge generator 1 has produced
a small portion of charge
q, the voltage at the converter input will be great and defined as
Uin=nq/C. In this case, owing to the series connection, each separate capacitor 15 will be
charged with identical charge
q. With subsequently setting all of the switches 16 in position II, all of the capacitors
15 are connected in parallel. The parallel connection of the capacitors 15 will have
capacity
Cout=nC, and the charge of this capacity will be equal to the sum of charges of all of the
capacitors 15, i.e.
Q=nq. Magnitude of the voltage generated at the converter output may be defined as
Uout=Q/Cout=q/C=Uin/n. Therefore, the structure acts as an n-times multiplier of the charge
q produced by the charge generator 1 with a simultaneous n-times reduction in its potential
at the converter output.
[0044] The switches in the converter shown in Fig.4 may be implemented both with a mechanical
control, and using electronic switching means.
[0045] The RC system shown in Fig.5 operates as follows. On activating the generator 1,
its charge is provided to the converter 2 adapted to increase the initial number of
electric charges and reduce potential of the electric charges accumulated at the converter
output. The converted charge from the output of the converter 2 is provided to input
of the code generator 17 to supply the same. The code selection unit 18 controls the
generator 17 to select a respective digital code for an RC command for electric apparatuses
22. The unit 18 may be operated simultaneously with the charge generator activation.
The generated digital code is provided from the generator 17 to the transmitting unit
19 which radiates a coded RC signal over a communication channel. The signal is detected
by the receiving unit 20 and provided, after amplification, to the processing and
controlling unit 21. In the unit 21, information is separated from the digital code
of the RC signal and a control command for electric apparatuses 22 is generated.
[0046] The described embodiments of self-contained signal transmitters and remote control
systems are only illustrative and by no means restrict the scope of invention defined
in the claims.
Industrial Applicability
[0047] Therefore, it has been shown that an RC system may constructed in which a digital
signal transmitter will be adapted to be supplied from charge generators, such as,
for example, piezoelectric cells, triboelectric cells or radioactive source of charged
particles.
[0048] This possibility has a qualitative effect on the technology and design of remote
control systems, and opens the way to new technical solutions which do not require
the application of short-lived and needing a periodic service power sources for RC
signal transmitters.
[0049] For example, appearance of RC systems for lighting fixtures and other consumer apparatuses,
service-free RC signal transmitters e.g. in the form of traditional switches or self-contained
RC panels, at the already existing market will provide a significant economy associated
with savings in service expenditures needed currently, and added consumer qualities
of the goods. By way of example, it concerns such goods as garage gate consoles, flat
of cottage electric bells, switches for electric equipment on holdings, laser systems
for guarding perimeters of secret objects, etc.
[0050] Furthermore, RC transmitting apparatuses in accordance with invention may be integrated
in walls, floor, hard-to reach places of various structures and constructions. This
new quality is important in development of computerized guard system and data acquisition
systems. For example, a passive data acquisition system can be designed to gather
information of a number and position of cars on parkings through embedding piezoelectric
radio-frequency sensors in the parking place pavement so that a car running thereon
would activate a piezoelectric cell of the sensor to generate an appropriate information
signal.
[0051] New potentialities appear of efficient use of radioactive power sources, on basis
of which compact long-term beakons may be designed for orientation in space or mounted
in marine navigation systems.
[0052] Of crucial importance is the use of RC transmitters, free of batteries and accumulators,
in rescue and military techniques, this enabling the creation of energy-independent
warning or control apparatuses which can be conserved for a long time and used in
severe emergency conditions.
[0053] In engineering constructions, in design of new machines and mechanisms, the invention
will enable the provision of wireless energy-independent sensors to simplify communication
systems for automatically controlling these constructions.
1. A self-contained digital signal transmitter comprising: an electric power supply including
an electric charge generator with an actuation means and a digital signal generation
and transmission unit, characterized by further comprising an electric charge energy converter having an input connected
to an output of the electric charge generator, and an output connected to an input
of the digital signal generation and transmission unit, said electric charge energy
converter being adapted to increase an initial number of electric charges provided
to the input of the electric charge energy converter from the electric charge generator
and to reduce the potential of electric charges stored at the output of the converter.
2. The self-contained transmitter of claim 1, characterized by comprising an electric charge storage in the form as a capacitor connected to the
output of the converter.
3. The self-contained transmitter of claim 2, characterized in that said electric charge energy converter is a reducing transformer having a primary
coil connected to an output of the electric charge generator, and a secondary coil
connected, via a rectifier, to the electric charge storage.
4. The self-contained transmitter of claim 2, characterized in that said electric charge energy converter is a semiconductor converter having an input
region coupled to an output of the electric charge generator, said input region being
formed by a semiconductor structure intended to store charges from the electric charge
generator and produce an avalanche breakdown process when a threshold voltage is exceeded
across said semiconductor structure, and an output region of the semiconductor converter
being formed by a region for separating and storing secondary charges produced as
the result of the avalanche breakdown, and connected, via a rectifier, to the electric
charge storage.
5. The self-contained transmitter of claim 1, characterized in that said electric charge energy converter is formed by a battery of capacitors provided
with a switching device for switching the capacitors from series connection required
to store charges from the electric charge generator, to a subsequent parallel connection
enabling to combine the charges stored at each of said capacitors with simultaneous
reduction in the potential of the charges at the output of the converter.
6. The self-contained transmitter of any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said electric charge generator is a piezoelectric cell.
7. The self-contained transmitter of any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said electric charge generator is a triboelectric cell.
8. The self-contained transmitter of any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said electric charge generator is a radioactive source of charged particles.
9. The self-contained transmitter of any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by further comprising a short pulse former connected between the output of the electric
charge generator and the input of the electric charge energy converter.
10. The self-contained transmitter of any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that said digital signal generation and transmission unit is adapted to transmit a radio-frequency
signal.
11. The self-contained transmitter of any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that said digital signal generation and transmission unit is adapted to transmit an optical
signal.
12. The self-contained transmitter of claim 11, characterized in that said digital signal generation and transmission unit comprises a laser signal emitter.
13. The self-contained transmitter of any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that said digital signal generation and transmission unit is adapted to transmit an acoustic
signal.
14. The self-contained transmitter of claim 1, characterized by being in the form of a beakon, wherein said electric charge generator is a radioactive
source of charged particles.
15. A remote control system comprising: a transmitter for generating and transmitting
remote control signals; a control unit including a receiver connected to said transmitter
through a communication channel and intended to control at least one electric apparatus
in accordance with digital information contained in the remote control signals, characterized in that said remote control signal transmitter is a self-contained digital signal transmitter
according to any one of claims 1 to 14.
16. The remote control system of claim 15, characterized in that said transmission channel is a wire line.
17. The remote control system of claim 15, characterized in that said transmission channel is a radio-frequency channel.
18. The remote control system of claim 15, characterized in that said transmission channel is an optical channel.
19. The remote control system of claim 15, characterized in that said transmission channel is an acoustic channel.
20. The remote control system of claim 15, characterized in that said controlled electric apparatuses are lighting fixtures.
21. The remote control system of claim 15, characterized in that said controlled electric apparatuses are apparatuses with an electrical actuator.
22. The remote control system of claim 15, characterized in that said controlled electric apparatuses are home electronics apparatuses, mainly heaters,
refrigerators, air conditioners.
23. The remote control system of claim 15, characterized in that said controlled electric apparatuses are warning and alarm apparatuses, in particular,
a computer for processing and storing information of received digital signals.
24. The remote control system of claim 15, characterized in that said remote control signal transmitter is adapted to be integrated in walls of constructions
and other unmanned engineering structures.